Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-10-26
THE LOST DIAMONDS.

lAh uON1 DlA1ON DOs
Long ago, in the good old time
which people sigh for, folk were hung
for stealing. Proved guilty after a
careless fashion, which would bring
Judge Lynch to his feet for the bene-
fit O; the court, were it practiced now,
they were strung up without mercy,
and not half the fuss was made about
the execution Of woman who had
stolen a loaf of bread that would be
made now over the execution OF q
wholesale poisoner or the midnight
assassin of women and children. No
qualms of conscience were felt. and all
believed that, capital punishment
done away with, no ones property
would be safe an hour.
Consequently when Miss Black
thwaite lost her diamonds the fact
that any emight be suspected was g.
very nervous thought to her house
hold.
Of course, Maj Blackthwaite,
her brother, and her friend,
Miss Whitmore, who was on g. visit
at the house, were out of the ques-
ton, but there were theservants, one,
at least, quite new to the establish
ment, and oddly enough, every one
of them had, to the knowledge of ev-
cry one else, been In the room where
the diamonds were left between the
moment when she had known them
to be safe and the one when she had
missed them.
Miss BIackthwaite had come home
from the country ball woefully tired,
quite worn out, for she was g. delicate
little creature, who could not bear as
much dancing as some women can,
and had undressed herself in a hurry
and just wrapped herself in her white
nighU-goWn, when the wind which was
high that night, sent sharp blast
through window-frame not over
tightly set, and firted the curtain
with the candle. The consequence
was g confagatiOn on small scale.
Miss BlackthWaite rushed out scream
ing. Her brother and the servants
rushed in. Buckets of water were
thrown on the flames, and noise
enough made to shame a New York
fire company of the olden time. FL
nally the fire wss extinguished, and
the lady returned to her pillow. In
the morning her diamonds were gone.
She remembered having put them In
q certain box upon her dressing table,
intending to close and lock it before
retiring. She bad not done so, for in
her terror she had forgotten all about
the Jewels. and they had either been
lost or stolen.
1t was 10 O'Clock when she awoke,
and her window was wide open. But
it was too far from the ground for
any one TO have obtained an entrance
IN that way. And at first Mai.
Blackthwaite. who would not suspect
his servants Of dishonesty, declared
that Ruth must have had them in
her nand and put them down some
where, or that they had been thrown
upon the floor by accident. There
fore search was made II the room it.
self, in all the halls, in the majors
room, to which his sister had first
f1own for aid, in Miss Whitmore's, in
fact, everywhere where there was any
possibility Of their having concealed
themselves in that odd fashion which
would almost convince one that sim
animate objects" could enjoy the anx-
iety and fluctuations of their possess
ors and maliciously play at hide-and-
seek.
But, in this case, the missing OBJ.
iects were not found concealed in
any crack or crevice, or under any
rug, or behind ally heavy article of
furniture, or in pocket, or lining, or
shoe. In fact, after a careful search
OF three mortal days, it was deter
mined that they were stolen. And, if
stolen, then one of the servants must
be the culprit. Therefore Mai.
with very solemn counf enance and
called the servants about him.
"Good people," he said, "Miss
Blacsthwaite has lost her diamonds.
You all know that we have made g.
fair search and they are not to be
found. They must be stolen, and
though hate to suspect my servants,
and am as kind master as you
know, think, what am [ to do?
You must ali be searched every one
OF you'll make no exceptions. L
shall send for constable and have
the matter investigated. | hope it
will prove your honesty; | sincerely
hope 1T will, friends"
There was dead silence when the
major had done speaking, and faces
grew dark and angry, and teeth we're
set, and eyes turned suspiciously
upon each other, and when the major
had left the kitchen the wrath broke
into a storm of sputtering Welsh.
Indignation reigned supreme.
"Cotl does hur think US thieves 2"
yelled old John-ap-John, the coach
man.
"Search us-what does bur mean p"
And the cook joined in, and the but